FALL COLORS OF BENETTON. Fresh Air Society Celebrates 90 Years LESLEY PEARL ,Skiff Writer I FALL 1992 Benetton and Sisley Collections. International colors and styles for the global families in your hometown, BENETTON BENETTON at The Boardwalk at Laurel Place Park Orchard Lake Road, South of Maple 737-3737 1-275 at Six Mile Road 953-0500 WEST BLOOMFIELD UVONIA CSC SS Exciting Brilliant Diamonds The Finest Expression of Love KATHY- HACK HEALTHY FEET HINTS: You should not wear the same pair of shoes every- day. Not only will your feet feel better, but you allow the shoes to dry out and they also will last longer and keep their shape. `FmrHackSnoes One, Two or Three Rows of Diamonds Set In Luxurious 18K Yellow Gold Starting At 9825 26221 Southfield Road (between 10 and 11 Mile Roads) (313) 557-4230 Michigan's MarketMakers Gold in Silver - Platinum Coins and Bars - "Sell Where the Dealers Sell" Fine Jewelers Established 1919 BARN— TT RARITIES C OR P OR A T 10 N 189 MERRILL ST. BIRM., MI 48009 Pktrew (313) 644-1124 THE DETRO Phone 642-5575 30400 Telegraph Rd., Suite 134 Bingham Farms 22 Gem/Diamond Specialist Awarded Certificate By GIA In Grading HOURS: Daily 10-5:30 Thurs. 10-7 Sat. 10-3 Since 1971 (WALLPAPER\ Te4t9gleow DECORATIVE FABRIC & WALLPAPER 750 S. Woodward Birmingham 644-6505 j n 1902, Blanche Harte and Ida Koppel decided immigrant mothers and children needed to get out- side and breathe some fresh air. So they took them to Belle Isle for the day. Ninety years later, the Fresh Air Society is celebrating its humble beginnings which have grown into Camp Tamarack, Camp Maas, Camp Ken- nedy, Agree Outpost Camp, travel trips and family camp. The anniversary will be 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Con- gregation Beth Abraham Hillel Moses with songs, sweets and a slide show. Two years after Ms. Harte and Ms. Koppel began their program, they decided to get further away from the city. They rented a home in Kingston, Ontario, for $50. Within a few weeks, the water system broke and camp ended for the season. The next year they rented a home in Roseville. The women rode streetcars, car- rying food to camp so the mothers and children would be assured of kosher meals. By 1912, the program had grown so substantially that the camp was made ex- clusively for children. The only mothers there were volunteer cooks. Ms. Harte and Ms. Koppel called a meeting to raise $10,000 to buy land at Venice Beach on Lake St. Clair for a new site. They called it Fresh Air Camp. Due to water pollution and growth in the area outside of Mt. Clemens, Fresh Air Camp was moved to Brighton in 1925. Edwin Rosenthal donated the 80 acres of land. In 1927, an additional 200 acres of land was purchased, completing the site now known as Camp Tamarack at Brighton. Campers were charged $7 a week for the experience. Irwin Shaw, director of the Fresh Air Society from 1936 to 1955, was a camper that year. He returned in 1928 as a counselor-in-training. "It was a wonderful expe- rience with a terrific staff," Mr. Shaw said. "That's why I returned the next year. And my experiences over 20 years with the organization cannot be put into words." The 1,350 acre site at Or- tonville was purchased in 1950. The Tamarack Hills were part of the site — thus the name, Camp Tamarack. According to Dorene Finer, a member of the Federation board, Frank Lloyd Wright7,1 submitted plans for the design of the camp. His plans were rejected. The camp site at Orton- ville was renamed Camp Maas in 1981 after Benard and Rosalyn Maas. Camp Maas is divided into ci nine villages. All cabins are winterized. "We're the largest camp organization in the country, with 1,500 campers a sea- son," Ms. Finer said. "We're 1 the only camp in the country with a specific site for elementary school kids — Brighton." In 1958, the first Western Trip was offered as a con- tinuum of the camp experi-_ ence. The excursion took teens to Yellowstone Na- "We're the largest camp organization in the country with 1,500 campers a season." Dorene Finer tional Park, Zion National Park and the Grand Tetons. In 1982, an Alaskan Trip was added for a more rugged outdoor experience. Fresh Air Society's next c! acquisition came in 1963. Camp Kennedy, located in the Upper Peninsula, was donated by Edward C. Levy... On the site is the lodge of former Gov. Green. • Expansion hit Ortonville in 1970 with the building of (- the Butzel Conference Center. The center is used for senior citizens, family_< camping and educational programs. One year later, Charles Agree donated land in Wawa, Ontario. It is known as Agree Outpost. In 1974, Fresh Air Society , began to address the prob-'-‘ lems of emotionally im- paired children. Silverman Village was opened at the Ortonville site, catering to their specific needs. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of all Tamarack campers receive scholarship money to attend camp. Fresh Air Society's motto is "no child will be denied a camp experience because of finan- cial needs." ❑